Posts from the ‘focus’ Category

Just Take That Step

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Planting & Transplanting

I have gotten into the habit of saying that I have a “brown thumb”. Truth is, I have had a LAZY thumb. Yes, you heard that right.

It’s a matter of discipline. Remembering to water, feed, and weed these plants. It’s a choice. To watch them grow to their full potential or let them starve and die. Before my girls were born and even when they were tiny, I used to love planting and taking care of my yard. Then….I gave it up. Weeds started to grow. Flowers died or either went out of control. It’s really quite amazing to me..how God can take something like gardening and turn it into a teaching moment for me.

Weeds taking over.

Weeds taking over.

 The things the I choose to care about are the things that I spend the most time taking care of. The things that I choose to nurture will in turn produce a beautiful harvest.

I CAN have a “green thumb” if I CHOOSE to! It isn’t a matter of being naturally good at it. It is a deliberate choice. Water, fertilize, feed, nurture, protect….and I will see growth.

I am 2 years into reading and studying the ENTIRE Bible from Genesis to Revelations. TWO years of self-discipline. The reward is KNOWING my Savior like I have never known before. My roots are growing deeper. I LOVE it and I already have a plan in place to read it all the way through again. I am in Ephesians now and when I finish with Revelations, I plan to use my Chronological Life Application Bible next.

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I tell you this not to boast..because it is only by the power of The Holy Spirit in me that I have kept at it. As I begin each day reading through, making notes, and studying it, I pray and ask to read it through HIS eyes and not mine. I also pray that HE would give me the desire to be obedient and the time to do so. If I can do it..You can too!

Gardenias from our yard

Gardenias from our yard

In my previous post, Cutting Loose, I talked some about change… and one thing that I am changing is my LAZY thumb. I planted another gardenia bush in my yard yesterday…Gardenias are my absolute FAVORITE flowering plant. I also planted several other pretties in our yard. Then…after getting the “fever” for mint from my precious friend (she knows who she is), I planted mint and hot oregano and a cucumber plant! ME! The self-proclaimed plant killer. The woman whose husband asked her not to buy any more plants to kill,  for the front porch. :)

Why? Because I know that I can keep these plants alive. It’s a choice. (if you feel like praying for those plants, feel free :) )

I encourage YOU to step out of your comfort zone and commit to something that you’ve always wanted to do. Just take that step. You CAN DO IT!

Philippians 4:13 says it best, “I can do ALL things through HIM who gives me strength.”

Until Next Time,

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My Family <3

My Family <3

Cutting Loose

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I think it is extremely important for us to remember that ANYTHING or ANYONE that we put first in our lives…becomes an idol. So, if it isn’t God that is first…then we have to re-adjust..re-order the things in our lives. With that being said….

Do you have too much on your plate? Are you loaded down with “things” that get in the way of what should really be your top priorities ? You know…Too many activities, things that take away from God and family, too much social media, too many clubs, too much volunteering. That is just to name a few.

We shouldn’t let our lives speed out of control. We should live intentionally. Keeping our priorities in order helps make this intentional living possible.

Psalm 39:6 has this to say about living lives that are too busy and filled with too many distractions: “We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing. We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.”

I am working on simplifying my life. Eliminating certain things from my life…one of those things being my personal Twitter account. I LOVE Twitter..I love Social Media. It just distracts me. So..I am changing it to my “blog Twitter” and no longer a personal Twitter account. I have removed a few more social media distractions as well. I am also being more intentional about the quality in the time that we spend with our little family…Making sure that my family is first after God. Another thing that I have been doing is reading a book called The Excellent Wife. It is written by Martha Peace. I highly recommend it. This book has really made me look at my role as wife in the way that God wants me to view it. Convicted to say the least.

Is there SOMETHING or are there some things that YOU may need to cut loose of for a time?

Here are a few signs that you may have too many distractions or things out of order:

~ Stress (no brainer)

~ Irritability.. because you feel rushed all of the time.

~ Never seem to be able to finish a task.

~ Complaints from husband/wife/children that you never have time for them..or if you are with them they say you are distracted.

~ No time for bible study or quiet time.

~ No time for quality family time.

~ Exhaustion (mental and physical)

~ Feeling the “need”  to check your multiple social media sites throughout the day ..but never feeling the need to open your bible app or open your bible .

There’s got to be balance. If you give a majority of your time to volunteering, social media sites, friends, etc.. and find that your time with Jesus and your husband/wife/kids is less than the others, it’s time to refocus and get things (people) back in the correct order.

In “THE EXCELLENT WIFE”, Martha Peace writes: Wives are also to love their husbands as their closest neighbor. The Lord Jesus made it clear, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). Compare how hard you work at showing love to your girl friends with how hard you work at showing your love to your husband. He is your closest neighbor. He should come first.

(This goes for husbands as well…)

So, I invite you to join me in taking a look at your life and praying about what God wants you to do so that you will glorify HIM. There is freedom in surrender. True peace and joy comes when we have our lives in the right order. The alternative is stress and feeling all out of whack. I hope you’ll join me in looking deep within and seeing what you need to change..who knows, you may not need to change a thing. Chances are, somebody that you know may need to. So, share this post if you think it could help someone.. There are also several links to other posts that I placed in this one. (Hoping that one will help even just one person.)

             Until Next Time,

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That’s. Not. Healthy.

I’m good at stuffing. Stuffing drawers. Stuffing cabinets. Stuffing closets. AND, yes, stuffing my feelings. Throw it all in and hurry and slam it shut before it falls out or comes undone. Just, out of sight, out of mind.

That’s. Not. Healthy.

So, to be honest..it took me writing out my testimony to realize some of the reasons that I stuff. Some are just hereditary..and some are because of choices made.

So, after realizing some truths, I began to make some changes.

And..I began to change.

Now, I still fight the battle of stuffing. No, I’m not a hoarder by any means.I have no problem throwing away stuff.  I just tend to get overwhelmed and want to forget about it. That’s the case with organizing my home and my emotions.

You can’t break a lifelong habit overnight. It takes intentionality….To make healthy changes. It takes work.

When it comes to being unorganized…I found that admitting I can’t do it alone helped me a lot! I asked for help from someone near and dear to me..(she knows who she is). She’s a natural at this sort of thing. So, we organized and MAN, is life getting easier! I can focus better. It is awesome!

Now, as far as the emotional stuffing goes…That is a work in progress. There’s a thin line we have to be careful of. To still bridle the tongue and glorify God in everything.

To keep in mind that making a big deal about feelings…makes it ABOUT ME…not God.

To trust HIM in every situation and at the same time to deal with emotions, hurts, and feelings instead of stuffing them down. Pretending that they don’t exist. That’s. NOT. Healthy. But trusting HIM and giving it ALL to HIM to handle…That’s WAY BETTER than stuffing.

Psalm 28:7 ~ The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

So…I’m still a work in progress. Learning what to stuff and what not to stuff. Learning that everything has a place and that includes emotions.

I challenge you to look at yourself…Are you a stuffer? Or are you an exploder? Lysa Terkeurst’s book, Unglued, is a fantastic book.. She talks about the four reaction types. Most of us are more than just one type of reactor. Here is her blog post where she discusses the four types.

I’m so glad to know that God is not finished with me yet.

Philippians 1:6 ~ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Until Next Time,

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Prayer Is A Beautiful Thing

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    Colossians 4:2 ~ Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

   Why is it, that we tend to look at prayer as a last resort? Oh…come on..don’t tell me you always think “let me pray first.” We like to think of ourselves this way. We like for others to think of us in this way. BUT..let us be real..TRANSPARENT..for just a minute.

   I pray all day long.

   BUT…

   There are times when my prayers reflect my wants…not necessarily my “trusting” and “thanking” HIM.

   Sometimes, my prayers are selfish.

   Sometimes, my prayers are not first.

   Sometimes….I freak out and THEN…I pray. Or, I get down and blah…and THEN, I remember..to pray.

   Anybody else do this? Or, is it just me?

   I have come a LONG way. I am so thankful that I am NOT who I once was…and YES, I am very thankful that GOD is NOT finished with me yet.

   Philippians 1:6 ~ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to       completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

   Every single minute of every single day, we are battling self and the enemy. We have the CHOICE…. to walk closely with GOD. We have the choice to choose HIM. We …I…MUST keep my eyes FIXED on HIMFIRST!

   Prayer is a privilege. I just don’t see why…so many times, it is seen as a last resort.

   I’ve heard this before: “Well, I have done everything I can..so, I guess I will pray about it.”

   Look at that statement. I…I…I…I…

   See the problem?

   Where is God in all of that? Left out…seen as a last resort.

   Prayer changes more than things…Prayer changes PEOPLE! 

   Sometimes, we will get an answer to our prayers right away. Other times, it may seem like an eternity. We have to remember that God’s way..HIS timing, is not ours. Sometimes, the delay, is GOD’S way of working out HIS will in and for our lives. I do know this, HE always provides. HE never leaves us..and HIS ways are right and better than ours. GOD is ONLY good.

   ”I have never met anyone who spent time in daily prayer, and in the study of the Word of God, and was strong in faith, who was ever discouraged for very long.” ~ Billy Graham

   ”Have you ever said, ‘Well, all we can do now is pray’?…When we come to the end of ourselves, we come to the beginning of God.” ~ Billy Graham

   Oh what a beautiful thing prayer is. That sweet time with my Jesus. The fact that I can even come into HIS HOLY PRESENCE.. ME, a sinner, but saved by HIS grace..it is just amazing and beautiful.

              Until Next Time,

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Reflections

 

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Like a lot of others, as this year comes to an end, I am reflecting.

Reflecting on the past year. The choices made. The changes that need to be made in the coming year.

There is always room to grow. Room for improvement. We have never “arrived”. We have to keep growing in our spiritual walk..and keep striving to be better than we were the day before. Not for ourselves, but so that our walk matches our talk.

I began making a list of “goals”. Not “New Year’s Resolutions”, but GOALS. Yes, I know that they are just about the same thing. But, not really. New Year’s resolutions are made and everybody has in the back of their head..“I’ll never fulfill this one.” Goals are more serious in my opinion. Goals are necessary.

My list looks something like this:

Budget/Household Goals:

~ Create a budget

~ Pray over the “budget”…for obedience and determination to stick to it.

~ Work towards buying mostly necessities. (truth is, a lot of money is wasted on “wants” )

~ Make a plan to take each room of our home, and eliminate clutter. 

 Physical Goals:

~ Eat healthier

~ Continue to work out 4-5 days a week

~ Try to cut down on sweets and breads, and eat cleaner.

 

Spiritual Goals:

~ Finish reading and studying the entire Bible..I am currently in Matthew 3. (Genesis to Revelations plan)

~ Begin to read the entire Bible again..using my new Chronological Bible.

~ Trust HIM more fully.

~ Be a better leader.

~ Establish a family devotional time and stick to it.

~ Be a better encourager to my husband.

 

These are just some of my “goals”. .

 

The most important goal is this:

John 3:30 (NLT) ~ He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

That is what it all boils down to. God HAS to be first. HE has to be the center of everything. HIS will HAS to be of most importance in my life. I HAVE to get in the passenger seat. I MUST let HIM drive. TRUSTING HIM FULLY. Even when life isn’t what I planned. Even when times seem tough. TRUST HIM.

 

Until Next YEAR :) ,

 

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Thankful Thursdays ~ October 25th

I must admit, some weeks are more challenging than others. Some days it is more challenging to find the joy in the yuck. Those moments when we choose to find the joy in the yuck..those moments define us.

Earlier in the week, I had a day of inconveniences and little aggravations. I caught myself feeling aggravated and stressed out because I couldn’t get something simple taken care of…simply. Ever had a day like that?

Roadblocks.

Detours.

People are watching us. They are watching us to see how we handle the “yuck”. Our kids, our friends, our families, and strangers..Yes, strangers..are watching to see how we (Christians) are handling those things.

I’ll be real honest with you.. It was quite a battle. Fighting self. Wanting to whine and complain. Whining and complaining. Stopping myself from whining and complaining. Feeling guilty. Repenting. Starting fresh.

See, Jesus instructs us to NOT grumble and complain. Being “human” isn’t an excuse. As Christians, we have The Holy Spirit in us..so we aren’t just human.

 

Philippians 2:14 (ESV) ~ Do all things without grumbling or questioning

 

Romans 8:9 (NIV) ~ You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

 

 

Every day we have choices to make. We get to make those choices.. They matter. Even when it’s harder than usual to find joy in a situation that seems like NO joy can be found in it, there IS JOY TO BE FOUND.

 

Even when it feels like a game of hide and seek..keep seeking the JOY.

 

 

“Joy’s a function of gratitude. And gratitude’s a function of perspective. Counting gifts changes my perspective – & my LIFE” ~ Ann Voskamp from her book…One Thousand Gifts

 

“All gratitude is ultimately gratitude for Christ, all remembering a remembrance of Him.” ~ Ann Voskamp…One Thousand Gifts

 

 

God cares about the tiny details. HE cares and provides. HE allows. HE knows that we can’t do this thing called life alone. WE can do it with HIS strength.

 

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) ~ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

 

So, without waiting any longer, let me share with you some of the things that I am thankful for today and this past week.

 

 

1) that THIS is not home. This place.. This world is temporary and my citizenship is in Heaven.

2) for conviction by The Holy Spirit, JESUS in me, that tells me when I’m not glorifying my Savior.

3) that my Jesus loves me.. HE loves ME.. And I’m not always easy to love..

4) for this wonderful group of women (Dstudy group) that I get the privilege to grow with and teach them and learn from them as well..

5) for beautiful..awesome sunsets and sunrises that never grow old..

6) for the pure JOY that my nephew expressed to me when I surprised him with a visit today..

7) for getting Lysa TerKeurst’s book, UNGLUED, for $1.99 today! (on iBooks and Amazon)

 

I guess I’ll stop for now… on here.. But I can promise you that my gratitude journal of 1000 gifts is continuing to grow every single day. For when we continue to look for the good and counting the joy, that is when we know what true joy really consists of. Thanksgiving. Grace. Joy. They go hand in hand.

 

Here is the Simple Truth my friends: There is JOY to be found in EVERYTHING…Because GOD created EVERYTHING & GOD is ONLY GOOD..HE is GOOD.

 

What are YOU thankful for?

 

UNTIL NEXT TIME,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thankful Thursdays ~ October 18th

Do I have some things to share with you!! :)

You know that book that I was telling you about last Thursday? One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp… Well, it has truly inspired me to be even more thankful.

Thankful..Grateful..for even the not so good things. It’s becoming a habit..a positive change by choice, to count it all joy. Sometimes it takes longer, but I eventually get around to it.

 

 Like…on my gratitude list..

#32 clean sheets for when the puppy decided to tinkle on Alden’s sheets

#77 being able to be honest with God about my feelings (when I am not loving a situation, etc..when I don’t feel like joy is possible..)

#58 not losing my temper when Marleigh (the puppy) chewed my daughter’s bottom retainer.

#59 only the bottom retainer was chewed up

#60 if the bottom retainer is too expensive to replace right now, at least it is the bottom retainer.. :)

 

Those are all things that I would have gotten angry and frustrated about before. Yet, GRATITUDE and THANKFULNESS and looking for JOY in every single thing is changing me. Changing me for the good!

 

Every GOOD thing comes from GOD.

 

James 1:17 (NLT) ~ Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

 

GOD is good. God is love.

 

AND...the truth is, that good can be found in everything that God created. Every single day is a gift. The yuck..it can even be made into something good and useful..to glorify God.

 

Romans 8:28 (NLT) ~ And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

 

 Will you choose to see the beauty in everything with me? Will you try to count it all joy? Will you begin..right now..by naming just THREE things that you are thankful for today. In this moment. Look around and be thankful.

 

 Philippians 4:4 (NLT) ~ Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again – rejoice!

 

Deuteronomy 28 :47,48 ~ If you do not serve the LORD your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, you will serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you. You will be left hungry, thirsty, naked, and lacking in everything.

 Will you?

 

For me..right now in this very moment, I am thankful for:

1) Coming home from the gym and finding a card from my husband that expressed his love for me. AND, he shared the beginning of his list of 1000 gifts with me.

 

2) A clean and organized laundry room..Thanks to a selfless best friend that gave of herself…

 

 

 

 

3) memories…that I can remember times gone by..good and bad ones..because it is important to remember. To grow and be thankful and move forward..

     

   

 

 

 

 

 ( The thing is..I don’t even know if I  realized at the time..that these were moments to be counted all joy.. these memories..time flies, slow down and count them ALL..All of the moments count.)

 

 

 

Thankful for each one of you!

 

Until Next Time,

 

 

Following THEM or Following HIM

by: Heather Dawkins
 (future home of CrossPointe)

We all make choices. Many choices in our lifetime. Every choice has a consequence. Every choice matters.

Thank goodness, our God is a God of second chances..and third chances….

I’ll be honest. My choices didn’t always bring my Jesus glory. I made that choice though.

I wasted precious time as a teen. Thinking that I had to fit in. Feeling like I never did. Making wrong choices just so that I would feel comfortable. All the while, professing to be a Christian.

Sometimes my life looked like it should. Sometimes it didn’t. That’s NOT okay.

I let my lack of confidence..rule me.

I let the world influence me. My focus was on me instead of on God…where it needed to be. Nobody is to blame, except ME.

Things  haven’t changed that much in 20 something years. (as far as feeling like you have to fit in goes)  I know that kids today still struggle with feeling like they just don’t fit in. Feeling UNCOMFORTABLE around the “crowd”. AND..making bad choices because of that.

TO YOU,  I SAY:  It is better to NOT fit in. It is BEST to STAND OUT and STAND FIRM in JESUS.

You may never get another chance. We aren’t guaranteed our next breath.

It was ONLY after I truly SURRENDERED to HIM, that I began to feel comfortable in MY SKIN.

So many times..people think that SURRENDER is a bad thing. As if  it takes away your FREEDOM.

When in fact, it is the OPPOSITE.

With SURRENDER, there is TRUE FREEDOM. A peace that surpasses ALL understanding.

We all have a choice. FOLLOW HIM or FOLLOW THEM.

Matthew 16:24 (NIV) ~ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself  and take up his cross and follow me.”

NOW, I love not fitting in with what the WORLD thinks that I should look like, be like, act like, or desire.

The BIBLE tells us that we are NOT to look like the WORLD. Authentic Christians CAN’T look like they did before. Authentic Christians will have a “before and after picture”.
James 4:4 (NIV) ~ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. 

I’m just so very thankful that my JESUS loved me even when I didn’t bring HIM glory. I’m so thankful that I took that step that made all the difference..when I said,   ”I surrender, God..I cannot do this on my own..I want to glorify YOU..and I am so sorry for the times when I failed you. I will follow you no matter the cost, because the relationship with YOU outweighs everything else.”

Sure, I am STILL a work in progress. HE is not finished with me YET.

Philippians 1:6 ~ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Will you take that step? The step to TRUE FREEDOM? Stand firm and STAND OUT. It’s really the best feeling in the world.

Romans 12:2 (NIV) ~ Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.  

(Maybe you have already taken that step. That is WONDERFUL! Maybe this post will help you in helping someone else then.)

 

           Until Next Time,

Thankful Thursdays ~ September 27th

 

 

It feels really good to stop and count my blessings and just thank HIM for them all. I tweeted a question earlier today. “What are three  things that you are thankful for today?” 

 

Then, I answered them. I couldn’t stop at THREE. It felt really good to stop and thank my Jesus!

 

Yes, I know that SIMPLE TRUTHS is not the first blog to ever do something like this. That isn’t my reason for doing THANKFUL THURSDAYS. I just thought that it would be an awesome opportunity to share with you…some of the things that I am thankful for each week. AND, hopefully you will share with me as well! At the very least, I hope you will join me on Thursdays and ask yourself what THREE things you are thankful for that day (or week).

 

   Did you know that THANKFULNESS is a command ?

It isn’t an option.

Obedience.

 

    Philippians 4:6 (NLT) ~ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and     thank him for all he has done.

 

   1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) ~ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

 

   Colossians 3:17 (NLT) ~ And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.

 

Here goes………..

   1) I am thankful that I have hot, running water.

  2) I am thankful for my children  and that they have good health.

   3) I am thankful that my car is almost paid for.

I told you that I couldn’t stop at three….

   4) I’m thankful for the blessing of conviction by The Holy Spirit.

 

   Now it’s your turn.

 

  WHAT THREE THINGS ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY?

  

{  Comment on this post. Write it in a journal. Say it aloud. Tweet it to me. Tweet it to yourself. Whatever you choose to do..Just give it a try. You can like my Simple Truths Blog FB page, sign up (top right corner of this post) to receive email posts, and follow me on Twitter @hgdSimpleTruths  … I love new friends! }

 

    Until Next Time,

 

Even When I Don’t Feel Like It

    Psalm 139:1-4 (ESV)

1 O Lord, you have searched me and known me!

2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from afar.

3 You search out my path and my lying down and are

acquainted with all my ways.

4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord,

you know it altogether.

   Isn’t that a beautiful passage of scripture… GOD already knows. HE knows my feelings. HE knows my fears. He knows when I don’t feel like doing something.

   I’ll be honest with ya! There are days that I JUST DON’T FEEL LIKE IT. I get weary. I get tired. I get to throwing myself a little pity party…

   Sound familiar?

   Be honest…Be real…

   There are those times, when I wonder why I am even writing, teaching, etc. I feel so unworthy. I AM unworthy. Then..HE shows me again that HE is the reason. He reminds me that HE doesn’t call the equipped…NO, HE equips the called.

   Did you notice in the few sentences above that there were a lot of “I” statements?

   Here’s what happened this morning:

   I sat down at my kitchen table to have my quiet time with God. I was tired. My mind was filled with so many distractions and things that I was concerned about. From questions about what I should be doing with my life to thoughts about my kids starting back to school. I just felt very compelled to be real with God. Before I even opened my Bible, I just talked to God.

   I told HIM…as if HE didn’t already know…(see Psalm 139:1-4 above). I told HIM what was on my mind.

   You know what? It felt GOOD to be honest with HIM.

   He already knows. He appreciates our honesty. More so than that, HE loves for us to admit that we can’t do it alone.

   See, true faith begins with humility. True obedience begins with surrender.

   There are going to be times when you won’t “feel” like being obedient. There will also be times when you will feel like you aren’t making a difference. Those are the times when you have to take YOU out of the equation and totally put the focus on God.

   There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with telling God that you are tired. There is nothing wrong with being completely honest with your Father. He prefers honesty anyways.

   We can’t fool HIM.

   We CAN trust HIM to lead, guide and direct us.

   If I am focused on how I feel…then I am NOT focused on obedience to GOD. Pray for the desire to be obedient. I DO. By the way, did you notice that my word popped up again? Here is the link to the post on Obedience that I posted earlier…if you don’t know what I am talking about.

   It boils down to this. This life is NOT ABOUT ME. Tired, weary, confused…those are all “ME” feelings. If I am focused on “ME” then I am not focused on all of the blessings and all of the ways that I can be a blessing to others because of God working through me.

    THINGS TO PONDER:

   Are you being real with God?

   Sometimes I am…and sometimes I forget that HE knows my true feelings.

   Do you ever feel weary even though you are actively serving God and others?

   I do. When I take my focus off of HIM…and begin thinking of how I feel…When I am being selfish.

   Do you realize that GOD knows your thoughts..your heart..the words that are going to slip off of your tongue?

   I realize that..but, sometimes I don’t grasp this truth completely.

   Does the fact that God already knows your thoughts, etc.. scare you? Does it make you want to apologize to HIM?

   It is definitely a humbling thought. It definitely makes ME want to be very careful and thoughtful and to please HIM completely!

   I pray that on the days when YOU just don’t feel like doing something that HE has asked you to do, that you will take a step back and be real with God. Take a breath. Pray. Be honest with God. He understands and HE can and will change your heart! You just have to let Him. Like I did…

   “If God sends us on stony paths, he provides strong shoes.” ~ Corrie ten Boom

   Blessings to you all…

   UNTIL NEXT TIME,

  

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